Book Talk
Join In: Multiethnic Short Stories
By: Outstanding Writers for Young Adults
Edited By: Donald R Gallo
I really enjoyed several of the stories in this
book. My favorites were “Next Month…Hollywood”, “No Win Phuong” and “Bride Price”.
“Next Month…Hollywood” had me laughing out loud. It is the story of a young Asian boy and his friend Ivy.
They want to be rappers. Their lyrics are funny and the story is cute. I really got a sense of how stereotypes hurt them.
No one thinks that they will be any good because they are Asian, only Black guys can rap. “No Win Phuong” is about
another Asian boy who has difficulty playing sports because he concentrates to hard and psyches himself out. I liked the friendship
between the main character and Phuong. The story revolves around Phuong getting coached to relax and be a good baseball player.
“Bride Price” is a sad story about Cambodian refugees living in Oregon. They are confronted with the new culture
and have to decide how much they will accept the new American culture. It talks briefly of the horrors in Cambodia but mostly
is about one girls decision that she will not be sold in a matchmaking custom, and that she will use her newfound freedom.
I think that a book like this should be required
reading for every scool kid in America. The stories are very clever and effective in their ability to represent other cultures
and ways of life. They promote tolerance and acceptance and have positive messages for all readers.
